The inhabitants of the colony numbered roughly 65,000, of which had previously suffered a demographic collapse due to a large emigration of Dominicans to Venezuela, Cuba and Puerto Rico as a result of the session of Santo Domingo to France under the Treaty of Basel of 1795.

[4] Like almost all of his ideals companions, Mella was a child when José Núñez de Caceres, an enlightened revolutionary, organized a revolt against the Spanish government and successfully declared independence on December 1, 1821.

But in February 1822, just two months after the independence, Jean Pierre Boyer, the president of neighboring Haiti, entered Dominican territory at the head of a large army and annexed the newly liberated nation.

The skill he exhibited in the handling of weapons was so great, that it is said that when his youthful companions of the town were confronted by groups of armed unscrupulous Haitians, who disrupted the nighttime entertainment, Mella intervened with admirable success.

Years later, after getting married, on August 30, 1836, in the departure of marriage, it can be read that “at seven o'clock at night, before me, Martín Guzmán Galicia, Official of the Civil Status of the Common of Santo Domingo, the citizens Ramón Mella, a native of this city, of older age, Preposé of the common of San Cristóbal and Josefa Brea, a native of this city, of older age.”[7] Historian Alcides García Lluberes maintains that Mella was apparently born around midnight between February 24 and 25, 1816, because his middle name, Matías, corresponds to the Saint of the day February 24.

Additionally, in the Book of Minutes of the Sessions of the Supreme Government of the Republic we read that "by secret scrutiny, and the vote was collected, the honorable General Ramón Mella was unanimously elected."

Duarte was looking to recruit new members for the nationalistic movement, La Trinitaria, a secret organization that sought to establish an independent nation by liberating the Dominican people from Haitian rule.

By this time the island had become increasingly frustrated with Boyer's repressive dictatorship, combined with his negligent response following a sudden earthquake that had struck Haiti a year earlier, and was plotting to overthrow the government, a situation to which Duarte believed could be used as an advantage.

[9] Herárd mistakenly believed that Dominican insurrection attempts had ceased and was persuaded that they lacked sufficient power to crystallize independence because the eastern part was branded as poor, distant and sparsely populated.

The content of the document was first discussed between Sánchez and Mella, who then presented it to Bobadilla, so that he could introduce corrections and extensions, in recognition of his experience and intellectual capacity and because he acted as the representative of the higher social sectors.

A testimony, written by Eustache Juchereaux Saint Denys, a member of the French consul in Santo Domingo, who had heard the famous blunderbuss, writes:[9] The night of the 27th was the day set for that attempt.

"Let's play everything for everything," and he fired his blunderbuss into the air.However, Manuel de Jesús Galván, a politician and author, narrates those events in these terms:[9] The solemn hour arrived: a group of patriots anxiously awaited the defaulters in the secluded and lonely end of the city, called La Misericordia, at the foot of the Fort of San Gil.

These words spread suspicion among the few listeners; and someone full of fright talks about retiring home and giving up the glorious project: "NO," answers a robust and manly voice firmly, disturbing the nocturnal silence without any caution.

A few days later, Mella had left for the Cibao in order to direct the defense against the Haitians and proceed to the organization of the new state in said region, the most important in the country from the economic wealth and the size of its population.

The forecasts made by Mella and the competent leadership of Imbert resulted in a crushing defeat being inflicted on the Haitians in the Battle of Santiago, who had hundreds of dead, while, apparently, few Dominicans lost their lives.

On the other hand, in the surroundings of Santiago, tobacco production had been developing, allowing the emergence of a peasantry linked to the market and a more modern and dynamic urban middle class than that existing in Santo Domingo).

On the other hand, in the surroundings of Santiago, tobacco production had been developing, allowing the emergence of a peasantry linked to the market and a more modern and dynamic urban middle class than that existing in Santo Domingo.

Even though Mella may have promoted the pronouncement, there is no doubt that Duarte was considered the father of the country and acted as an interpreter of popular sentiment, contrary to what some historians have stated, who maintain that the Trinitarios lacked influence in those critical moments.

[19] Meanwhile, Pedro Santana, backed by his troops and by the tacit alliance they had reached with the French Consul and the most prominent members of the “colonialist” group, headed towards the capital of the new State, with the purpose of assuming the entire power.

This position opens a difficult stage to evaluate in the life of Mella, who as part of the leadership team that surrounded Santana, remained silent in the face of the ruler's despotic actions.

However, in one of the documents that he presented to the Spanish government, he stated that Spain is the legitimate owner of the territory of the Dominican Republic, and that the protectorate over the latter meant for the old Metropolis one more guarantee, over those it may have today to be preserved indefinitely in the Caribbean.

[23] When the revolution against Buenaventura Baez began in Santiago on July 7, 1857, who with his economic mistakes had led the country to the threshold of a financial catastrophe, Mella was one of the first to join that movement of liberal and neo-Duartist orientation.

While on board an English ship that was stranded in Puerto Rico, he unsuccessfully attempted to ask the crew for support to go ashore on Dominican land and take command of the force with the purpose of starting his revolution.

But I have never been nor will I be opposed to my country maintaining, along with Spain and the other educated nations of Europe and America, such good relationships that in them you find the strongest support for your well-being, under the kind of recognition of your absolute independence and autonomy.

What has been said is enough for my purpose, adding lastly that I will fulfill my duty in the way that is possible, always as a son and citizen of the Dominican Republic, in whose position I salute you.With this uncompromising statement in the face of Santana's betrayal, he regained his stature as a hero.

By December 1863, the news even spread in Puerto Plata that "General Mella has collected ten thousand tobacco serones from the merchants with the intention of shipping them to Montecristi or Haiti to the North and bringing war supplies."

2.- Our operations must be limited to never risking a general encounter, nor exposing the fate of the Republic to the capricious fortune of a combat; Shoot quickly, a lot and well, harass the enemy day and night, and cut off their water whenever possible, are cardinal points, which must be kept in mind as the Creed.

And the Puellos, Duvergé and his son, Concha, Matías de Vargas, Pedro Ignancio Espaillat, Perdomo, Vidal, Batista and their companions, sacrificed for Santana, they rise beyond the sepulcher asking for Revenge!

Manuel Rodríguez Objío once noted: Luperón made his colleagues observe that since the former General Ramón Mella was in Jamao, it was of utmost importance to request an interview between the young restaurateur and the patriot of Independence...

On February 27, 1944, 100 years after the independence, Rafael Trujillo ordered that these remains would once again be transferred to Puerta del Conde, where they are converted into the Altar of the Homeland, and deposited under the triumphal arch of that memorable monument.